1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an airbag system and, more particularly, to an airbag rescue or safety system and, even more particularly, an airbag system employed as a life-saving system to enable a person using such system to survive an avalanche, or analogous situation, such as a water rescue, e.g., as well as an airbag system for attachment to, and for recovering, equipment of the person, such as a snowmobile.
More particularly, such a system can be used when activated (either remotely or manually by the user) to maintain the user or the user's equipment buoyant during an avalanche, or analogous situation, and to maintain the user or equipment on the surface of the avalanche, or as close to the surface as possible, thereby enabling the user to survive the avalanche or to facilitate recovery of the user's equipment.
In a further particular implementation, the field of invention relates to an airbag system utilized with a harness or backpack to be worn by a skier, snowboarder, snowmobiler, hiker, or a person engaged in another activity, who risks being exposed to an avalanche or analogous situation. In this regard, the invention also relates to a system attachable to an item of gear, such as a snowmobile or other sports gear, for example, which system can be remotely activated.
2. Background Information
Currently, so-called avalanche airbags, embodied as backpack systems to be worn by a skier, include those marketed by ABS Peter Aschauer GmbH, Snowpulse S.A., and Backcountry Access, Inc. Such systems are disclosed in the following documents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,754; U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,380; U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,909; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0239428; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0112880; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0184343.
These systems are designed to prevent burial in an avalanche and to enable the victim to survive an avalanche with the fewest possible injuries when wearing a backpack which incorporates such a system. These systems are intended to have the wearer stay on the surface of the avalanche or as close to the surface as possible.
In this regard, after activation and inflation, the inflated airbag secured to the victim increases the combined volume compared to the volume of the victim without such a system, thereby having the effect of keeping the victim at or near the surface of the flow of the snow during an avalanche. Further, sufficiently reducing the combined weight/volume ratio of the victim wearing an inflated airbag, i.e., to less than that of the snow, maintains the victim relatively buoyant and at the surface of the snow.
When activated, the ABS avalanche airbag deploys a pair of vertically elongated airbags on the sides of the back of the wearer, whereas the Snowpulse system deploys an airbag that surrounds the wearer's head. ABS claims that the unobstructed vision and freedom of movement, even with the inflated airbags, allow the wearer to escape an avalanche and make it possible to react when caught in an avalanche and to assume a protective position. The single-bag system of Snowpulse is designed to provide protection to the head and thorax of the wearer which, in addition to providing protection against burial, also protects against traumas. In either case, the system is intended to maintain the wearer at or near the surface of the avalanche and is not dependent solely on a rescue or avalanche beacon. ABS claims that 98% of all avalanche victims who activated their ABS avalanche airbag have survived, while 90% of this group were completely uninjured.
The aforementioned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2010/0184343 of Backcountry Access, Inc. describes in detail the current related art of avalanche airbag backpacks and gives a history and general description of the construction, use, and intent of this category of equipment.
Each of the systems known in this field of technology, including the aforementioned systems of ABS, Snowpulse, and Backcountry Access, Inc., relies upon a one-time use container of compressed gas (such as air or nitrogen) to inflate the airbag(s). Some of these one-time use systems also incorporate a means of drawing in ambient air to increase the total volume of gas by means of a venturi or an ejector, but such means nevertheless require the compressed gas for drawing in the ambient air.
Despite the success and advantages offered by avalanche airbags known in the art, many problems are inherent with the use of compressed gas containers, i.e., cylinders and cartridges. For example, compressed gas systems are limited by their one-time use. Once the compressed gas is expelled, a new cylinder or cartridge must be installed or the empty one refilled prior to re-use.
In addition, due to size and weight constraints of compressed gas cylinders/cartridges, the available volume to which the airbag is inflated is limited during release of the compressed gas.
Further, systems employing compressed gas cylinders/cartridges are additionally adversely affected by the weight of such systems. This problem is acknowledged in each of the aforementioned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0184343 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,909. The solution offered for these systems however, is a reduction in the amount of pressurized gas required for inflating the airbag(s), thereby enabling the use of a smaller compressed gas cylinder. The smaller cylinder, then, results in a reduction of the weight of the system.
Further, the use of compressed gas cylinders/cartridges are adversely affected by legal and safety issues related to transporting them via aircraft and other commercial vehicles. In fact, manufacturers of avalanche systems warn that tampering with such cylinders/cartridges can life-endangering.
Still further, logistical delays involved with re-filling compressed gas cylinders/cartridges present an additional inconvenience or constraint on their use.
Likewise, restrictions on shipping, mailing, transporting, importing and exporting, and certifying compressed gas cylinders/cartridges provide additional constraints and inconvenience.
Particularly in view of the one-time use of compressed gas cylinders/cartridges, their use in training and demonstration purposes is particularly limited, inasmuch as for each deployment a new or re-filled cylinder or cartridge is required.
In addition, compressed gas containers inherently give rise to potential safety issues for the known systems. For example, manipulation at the closure or at the container can trigger an explosion, creating a risk of injury and death, even for bystanders. Further, for their systems, ABS and Snowpulse explain that only original containers provided by them are to be used and that empty containers are to be refilled at their shops. An advisory for use of such containers explains that each supplied container has a sticker, giving its total weight and the date of filling, and that readiness for use can only be assured by weighing the container again and comparing it to the weight written on the sticker.
The aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,909 discloses a compressed gas system whereby the gas release grip mechanism is made detachable with respect to the compressed gas unit so as to avoid an unintentional or erroneous triggering causing inflation of the airbags. In this way, the release grip is not hooked up to the compressed gas unit—which must then be accomplished prior to use, such as during skiing or hiking—while the user is on a mountain cableway, on a train, in a restaurant, on a bus, or on a trail, e.g., prior to intended use. Of course, the user must then remember to re-connect the system before he begins skiing, snowboarding, or hiking, for example, i.e., where an avalanche condition is a possibility.